Ezekial 47 and 48 – Water from the Temple

47:1Then he brought me back to the entrance of the temple. I noticed that water was flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from under the right side of the temple, from south of the altar. 47:2He led me out by way of the north gate and brought me around the outside of the outer gate that faces toward the east; I noticed that the water was trickling out from the south side.

47:3When the man went out toward the east with a measuring line in his hand, he measured 1,750 feet, and then he led me through water, which was ankle deep. 47:4Again he measured 1,750 feet and led me through the water, which was now knee deep. Once more he measured 1,750 feet and led me through the water, which was waist deep. 47:5Again he measured 1,750 feet and it was a river I could not cross, for the water had risen; it was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be crossed. 47:6He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?”

Then he led me back to the bank of the river. 47:7When I had returned, I noticed a vast number of trees on the banks of the river, on both sides. 47:8He said to me, “These waters go out toward the eastern region and flow down into the Arabah; when they enter the Dead Sea, where the sea is stagnant, the waters become fresh. 47:9Every living creature which swarms where the river flows will live; there will be many fish, for these waters flow there. It will become fresh and everything will live where the river flows. 47:10Fishermen will stand beside it; from Engedi to En-eglaim they will spread nets. They will catch many kinds of fish, like the fish of the Great Sea. 47:11 But its swamps and its marshes will not become fresh; they will remain salty. 47:12On both sides of the river’s banks, every kind of tree will grow for food. Their leaves will not wither nor will their fruit fail, but they will bear fruit every month, because their water source flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing.”

Boundaries for the Land

47:13This is what the sovereign Lord says: “Here are the borders you will observe as you allot the land to the twelve tribes of Israel. (Joseph will have two portions.) 47:14You must divide it equally just as I vowed to give it to your forefathers; this land will be assigned as your inheritance.

47:15“This will be the border of the land: On the north side, from the Great Sea by way of Hethlon to the entrance of Zedad; 47:16Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath, as far as Hazer-hattikon, which is on the border of Hauran. 47:17The border will run from the sea to Hazar-enan, at the border of Damascus, and on the north is the border of Hamath. This is the north side. 47:18On the east side, between Hauran and Damascus, and between Gilead and the land of Israel, will be the Jordan. You will measure from the border to the eastern sea. This is the east side. 47:19On the south side it will run from Tamar to the waters of Meribath Kadesh, the river, to the Great Sea. This is the south side. 47:20On the west side the GreatSea will be the boundary to a point opposite Lebo-hamath. This is the west side.

47:21“This is how you will divide this land for yourselves among the tribes of Israel. 47:22You must allot it as an inheritance among yourselves and for the foreigners who reside among you, who have fathered sons among you. You must treat them as native-born among the people of Israel; they will be allotted an inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel. 47:23In whatever tribe the foreigner resides, there you will give him his inheritance,” declares the sovereign Lord.

The Tribal Portions

48:1“These are the names of the tribes: From the northern end beside the road of Hethlon to Lebo-hamath, as far as Hazar-enan (which is on the border of Damascus, toward the north beside Hamath), extending from the east side to the west, Dan will have one portion. 48:2 Next to the border of Dan, from the east side to the west, Asher will have one portion. 48:3Next to the border of Asher from the east side to the west, Naphtali will have one portion. 48:4Next to the border of Naphtali from the east side to the west, Manasseh will have one portion. 48:5Next to the border of Manasseh from the east side to the west, Ephraim will have one portion. 48:6Next to the border of Ephraim from the east side to the west, Reuben will have one portion. 48:7Next to the border of Reuben from the east side to the west, Judah will have one portion.

48:8“Next to the border of Judah from the east side to the west will be the allotment you must set apart. It is to be eight and a quarter miles wide, and the same length as one of the tribal portions, from the east side to the west; the sanctuary will be in the middle of it. 48:9The allotment you set apart to the Lord will be eight and a quarter miles in length and three and one-third miles in width. 48:10These will be the allotments for the holy portion: for the priests, toward the north eight and a quarter miles in length, toward the west three and one-third miles in width, toward the east three and one-third miles in width, and toward the south eight and a quarter miles in length; the sanctuary of the Lord will be in the middle. 48:11This will be for the priests who are set apart from the descendants of Zadok who kept my charge and did not go astray when the people of Israel strayed off, like the Levites did. 48:12It will be their portion from the allotment of the land, a most holy place, next to the border of the Levites.

48:13“Alongside the border of the priests, the Levites will have an allotment eight and a quarter miles in length and three and one-third miles in width. The whole length will be eight and a quarter miles and the width three and one-third miles. 48:14They must not sell or exchange any of it; they must not transfer this choice portion of land, for it is set apart to the Lord.

48:15“The remainder, one and two-thirds miles in width and eight and a quarter miles in length, will be for common use by the city, for houses and for open space. The city will be in the middle of it; 48:16these will be its measurements: The north side will be one and one-half miles, the south side one and one-half miles, the east side one and one-half miles, and the west side one and one-half miles. 48:17The city will have open spaces: On the north there will be 437½ feet, on the south 437½ feet, on the east 437½ feet, and on the west 437½ feet. 48:18The remainder of the length alongside the

holy allotment will be three and one-third miles to the east and three and one-third miles toward the west, and it will be beside the holy allotment. Its produce will be for food for the workers of the city. 48:19The workers of the city from all the tribes of Israel will cultivate it. 48:20The whole allotment will be eight and a quarter miles square, you must set apart the holy allotment with the possession of the city.

48:21“The rest, on both sides of the holy allotment and the property of the city, will belong to the prince. Extending from the eight and a quarter miles of the holy allotment to the east border, and westward from the eight and a quarter miles to the west border, alongside the portions, it will belong to the prince. The holy allotment and the sanctuary of the temple will be in the middle of it. 48:22The property of the Levites and of the city will be in the middle of that which belongs to the prince. The portion between the border of Judah and the border of Benjamin will be for the prince.

48:23“As for the rest of the tribes: From the east side to the west side, Benjamin will have one portion. 48:24Next to the border of Benjamin, from the east side to the west side, Simeon will have one portion. 48:25Next to the border of Simeon, from the east side to the west side, Issachar will have one portion. 48:26Next to the border of Issachar, from the east side to the

west side, Zebulun will have one portion. 48:27Next to the border of Zebulun, from the east side to the west side, Gad will have one portion. 48:28Next to the border of Gad, at the south side, the border will run from Tamar to the waters of Meribath Kadesh, to the Stream of Egypt and on to the Great Sea. 48:29This is the land which you will allot to the tribes of Israel, and these are their portions, declares the sovereign Lord.

48:30“These are the exits of the city: On the north side, one and one-half miles by measure, 48:31the gates of the city will be named for the tribes of Israel; there will be three gates to the north: one gate for Reuben, one gate for Judah, and one gate for Levi. 48:32On the east side, one and one-half miles in length, there will be three gates: one gate for Joseph, one gate for Benjamin, and one gate for Dan. 48:33On the south side, one and one-half miles by measure, there will be three gates: one gate for Simeon, one gate for Issachar, and one gate for Zebulun. 48:34On the west side, one and one-half miles in length, there will be three gates: one gate for Gad, one gate for Asher, and one gate for Naphtali. 48:35The circumference of the city will be six miles. The name of the city from that day forward will be: ‘The Lord Is There.’”